We asked reporter Sean Cole to find out.

HAL: I became PursuitMag‘s executive editor in the autumn of 2012, but the magazine’s been around a lot longer than that. And back in the summer of 2008, the original editor posted an article with the following headline: “Locating Mobile Phones Through Pinging and Triangulation.” That is, finding someone you’re looking for by turning that person’s cell phone into a kind of homing device.

Over the years, that article set a record for the most hits of any PursuitMag story ever…and it’s still getting lots of hits to this day—apparently, because a whole lot of people type “cell phone pinging” into Google search. People really want to know if this is possible, and if so, how to do it.

Of course, in technological terms, 2008 is primeval. So when I stumbled across this article again, I got to thinking: What’s possible NOW in terms of pinging a cell phone? And what’s legal? So I got a hold of an old radio buddy of mine, Sean Cole, and asked him to make some calls.

To find out what Sean Cole learned about current cell phone pinging and triangulation technology and laws, click below:

Produced by Storyboard EMP

Below, you’ll find the text of the original 2008 article by L. Scott Harrell:

I hesitated to include this article since cell phone pinging has always been something of an urban legend among the private investigation and bail enforcement communities. However, I do know for certain that it is absolutely possible and that many fugitives and abducted children have been recovered through the use of cell phone pinging by various State and Federal law enforcement agencies.

Do you remember when President Bush went to the Middle East on a surprise visit to the troops not too long ago? The media made a big deal about the fact that the Secret Service made everyone onboard Air Force One, including the President, take the battery out of their cell phones so that the “real bad guys” didn’t know of their location.

Voila! (Cell phone pinging has gotten someone’s attention.) I was convinced to include the article because a trusted peer indicated that he too had luck with a locate at one time and anyone interested in locating another person may at least have the need to understand the technology and the process of locating cellular phones.

There are two ways a cellular network provider can locate a phone connected to their network, either through pinging or triangulation. Pinging is a digital process and triangulation is an analog process.

A cell phone “ping” is quite simply the process of determining the location, with reasonable accuracy, of a cell phone at any given point in time by utilizing the phone GPS location aware capabilities, it is very similar to GPS vehicle tracking systems. To “ping” in this context means to send a signal to a particular cell phone and have it respond with the requested data.

The term is derived from SONAR and echolocation when a technician would send out a sound wave, or ping, and wait for its return to locate another object. New generation cell phones and mobile service providers are required by federal mandate, via the “E-911” program, to be or become GPS capable so that 911 operators will be able to determine the location of a caller who is making an emergency phone call. When a new digital cell phone is pinged, it determines its latitude and longitude via GPS and sends these coordinates back via the SMS system (the same system used to send text messages). This means that in instances where a fugitive or other missing person has a GPS enabled cell phone (and that the phone has power when being polled, or pinged) that the cell phone can be located within a reasonable geographic area- some say within several feet of the cell phone.

With the older style analog cellular phones and digital mobile phones that are not GPS capable the cellular network provider can determine where the phone is to within a hundred feet or so using “triangulation” because at any one time, the phone is usually able to communicate with more than one of the aerial arrays provided by the phone network. The cell towers are typically 6 to 12 miles apart (less in cities) and a phone is usually within range of at least three of them. By comparing the signal strength and time lag for the phone’s carrier signal to reach at each tower, the network provider can triangulate the phone’s approximate position.

Similar technology is used to track down lost aircraft and yachts through their radio beacons. It’s not identical because most radio beacons use satellites and older cell phones use land-based aerial arrays but the principle is the same.

Not surprisingly, the phone network companies are shy about admitting they have this ability. The triangulation and pinging capability of mobile phone network companies varies according to the age of their equipment. A few can only do it manually with a big drain on skilled manpower. But these days most companies can generate the information automatically, which makes it cheap enough to sell.

Some nefarious service providers have indicated that they have either developed sources within mobile telephone service providers to be able to get this information upon request or have access to the software interfaces to accomplish this on their own (or some variant thereof). I highly suspect that these “cell phone ping service providers” I see advertising from time to time are actually using a good ol’ fashioned pretext to obtain the location of a cell phone rather than using an actual ping. If you do come across a real provider, please let me know.

There you have it- the short course regarding the technical capability of locating cell phones and those who possess them either through pinging or triangulation. Again, I cannot speak to the commercial availability of such a service but like anything else in the investigative business; for now I believe that mobile-phone pinging is largely urban myth among private investigators, fugitive recovery investigators and skip tracers.

L. Scott Harrell is the managing principal of CompassPoint Investigations, a thriving private investigation agency based in Pensacola, Florida, as well as the digital marketing and competitive intelligence consultancy, Broadside Incorporated.

67 Comments

Jesse RudolphJune 18, 2009 at 1:57 am

There actually is software you can do this with. The trouble is, that it is software than needs to be installed on the phone it’s self. I have had the luck of playing with phones that adhere to the open smartphone standard, and you are able to pull information from not only the cellular tower that you are paired with, but also surrounding towers. There are, in fact, several mobile navigation applications, similar to those available for phones with gps radios, that use a combination of signal strength’s and a remote database of tower coordinates to map a cellular phone to a rough longitude and latitude.

This really does nothing for the private investigator that does not have explicit access to the cellular phone in question though. You really do not ‘need’ any triangulation algorithm in place on the provider’s side to track down a phone either. Just a pretext, or better yet, someone who is actually on the phone bill, who has had their phone ‘stolen’. I guess that is still a pretext though.

So, many years ago, back when other investigators and bail enforcement agents whispered about these things, I went directly to the source and asked the toughest company to get anything from (Verizon) what I needed to give them to ping phones, and give me numbers called or calling on a marks phone.

I did get that magic door to open, and did so in a way that covered everyones butts legally. It helped me close many cases quickly. I didn’t realize until way later, I was one of the only people in the country who had on demand access in the mid to late 1990’s.

Fast forward to today. I now have access to up to the minute GPS information on my bail clients at $8.00 a ping. Most locates are available within 50ft.

georgeMarch 21, 2012 at 3:12 pm

you can get pings for 8 each mail me back

maggieJuly 22, 2012 at 9:54 am

need to ping someone who i have stalking order against. can this be done

PaulSeptember 10, 2012 at 5:42 pm

I am interested. Please email me with the info.

murrayMarch 26, 2012 at 7:00 pm

im an owner of a bail bond company and this could be very helpful could you call me 740.260.8400 thanks

Steven, add me to the list that is asking for the cell pong informationTsly1@hotmail.com please send me whatever you have, have been waiting for the service to cAtch up with the technology for bail recovery.

I am the director of Sales at Interact. Several months ago there was an article in Pursuit Magazine “Locating Mobile Phones through Pinging and Triangulation to which you expressed interest and have some questions.

Our company is bringing to market a combined offering that not only allows you to “ping” a defendant cell phone, as well as use voice authentication (known as voice bio-metrics) to insure the phone is with the correct person. After all, knowing the location of the phone is only half the solution if the defendant is trying to hide.

Im a P.I. & Bail Agency & would like some info on cell phone pinging ASAP.

Thank You

MichelleDecember 7, 2011 at 1:56 pm

I need this information. My 15 year old daughter is missing and the only info that I have is this guys number (that she met online, approx 22yrs old.)that lured her from home. I have a name but do not know if it is real. FBI and police are not helping me, all I am getting is the runaround. HELP!

Steve, please send this info along to me also thanks. Unless its Captira i dont have it thanks.

JarrodDecember 15, 2011 at 11:59 pm

I am looking to buy some pinging software asap so if anyone has any advice please contact me as fast as possible

CoryDecember 17, 2011 at 10:21 pm

Please send me the software info. also.

dougJanuary 1, 2012 at 11:40 am

i also need desperatly this softeare ,i lost my phone ,or shall i say it was picked up and all the person needs to do is turn on the wi fi and all my info from emails will be synced to that phone,i work for the govt so it is truly important and the phone that was taken actuallly has no number just google voice ,which will receive calls and texts and emails if i connects to any open wireless signal…please help

THERE IS A COMPANY IN FL THAT DOES CELL PHONE PINGS. THEY ARE VERY GOOD, BUT A LITTLE EXPENSIVE AT 175 DOLLARS PER PING. i ALSO LIKE THE FACT THAT THEY DON’T HAVE TO GET PERMISSION FROM USER TO DO THE PING.iHAD CAPTIRIA, BUT THEY TEXT THE PHONE THAT YOU ARE PINGING TO LET THEM KNOW IT IS BEING PINGED, WHICH TO ME IS NO GOOD. iF SOMEONE NEEDS THIS INFO, E-MAIL ME OR CALL ME AT 304 262 3700. tHE COMPANY THAT i USE IS VERY SECRECTIVE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THERE WEB SITE IT LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE A RESTAURENT BUSINESS

I would like to know what software to use to ping cell phones or have the ability to use a geolocator service. I am willing to pay not only for the software but for the forwarding of such information. I am a licensed private investigator. Please email me at dmorris500@msn.com

Please help my fiancées sisters are in the middle of are business need to know If my other number is being pinged

kerryApril 30, 2012 at 3:20 am

I would like information on the pinging software or someone who will do it for me. My husband (recently ex) is mentally ill and disappears regularly. I worry contstantly for him because he usually winds up in jail. Currently he is missing from his court ordered mental health program and I am trying desperately to find him and get him back to his program before they decide not to reinstate him or he does something that will land him in prison.
thanks so much
kerry
949.291.8762socalcrrvs@gmail.com

Scott bilingtonMay 27, 2012 at 8:00 am

For people in the security business your very eager to dish out your email addresses!

EllieJune 23, 2012 at 10:56 pm

Steve. Hi could I please get the information on pinging? Thank u

williamJuly 3, 2012 at 6:11 pm

Steve, like everybody else that asked this question I would lke to know where I may purchase the pinging equipment or reliable firm that can do this I am a Private Investigator and Process Server would make life a little easier, thanks for the article and Information. Bill

williamJuly 3, 2012 at 6:16 pm

Steve, I would like infomation as to where I may purchase thie equipment, I am aPrivate Investigator and Process Server, or a reliable firm that already does this, great article very informative, Thanks Bill

Hector GrimesAugust 11, 2012 at 9:49 pm

Isn’t this something. How many people here are claiming to be bail bondsmen, or government workers, or the like, and have absolutely NO sense of spelling or grammar.

No bondsman is using a freaking Comcast email address. None. This is so amusing as to be sickeningly un-amusing.

Here’s the truth about the above mentioned tracking options. Pinging is a trivial matter on any phone manufactured after 2006 or so. There are multiple choices for software clients which you can install to easily facilitate digital pinging. Law enforcement doesn’t even need to get involved. Hell, if you’re good with a little C++, you can code an app yourself, and have a phone you can track from damn near anywhere.

As for analogue triangulation… this is NOT something to which the ordinary citizen has access. Traingulation can (in some cases, with older network designs) eat up significant portion of local network resources. For this reason (and others), the only people who have the authority to order a triangulation are recognized law enforcement agencies. If you’re not the FBI, CIA, NSA, or other such alphabet soup, you WILL BE turned down if trying to request a triangulation. Even local police forces are typically required to obtain a warrant before they can order a triangulation.

Triangulation is, in fact, SO off-limits to the public, that it is a crime (downright felony, if I’m not mistaken) to use devices/software in an attempt to conduct your own triangulation session. Doing so will end up with YOUR location being traced, and having your tech-loving ass thrown in a state prison.

TL;DR… Pinging is simple, easily available, and you have no hoops to jump through. Triangulation is a pain, illegal, and becoming increasingly obsolete.

Please send me info on cell phone pinging software. I TRULY believe my sister is in danger of being hurt or killed by her husband. No one will help us and the police wont do anything because no “crime” has been committed yet. Although there is a history of domestic violence and sinister actions by my brother in law. Many thanks!

please can you tell me if this is true, can a person who is on a phone near an Airport have their phone ping off a tower up to 20 miles away, down the same road way? Like- I-10 and I-75 airport location then 20 miles down I-10 at another tower location can a cell phone ping off that tower? past the airport tower? I heard it can by-pass airport towers due to blocking by airport for security reasons since 911.

ChristoOctober 12, 2012 at 12:48 pm

Hope its not to late to post a comment on this subject of cellphone ping. Pinging gives you coordinates but usualy the radius of the phone could be up to minimum 150 metres. Try searching for such phone in the rural setlements of South Africa….not so easy! What is needed is the KingFisher mobile tracking unit which works like a mini cellphone tower on steroids. Law enforcement agencies in USA can trach a phone within 1 meter radius …in your pocket. Regardless ….Steve I to would like the ping software which will help me emencely I’m tired of paying contacts to assist me with pinging.